Carolyn Robb

Biography

Carolyn Robb was born and raised in South Africa. She began to cook at a very early age; as soon as she could firmly grip a wooden spoon in her tiny hand and was able to read enough words to decipher a recipe she was in the kitchen at every opportunity! Inspired by her mother, a wonderful cook, she had her sights set on cooking for the Queen one day…

After studying languages at University, Carolyn travelled to Switzerland to spend a winter season working in a ski resort hotel. The experience of Swiss hospitality inspired her to seriously pursue a career in food. She attended the Tante Marie School of cookery in Surrey and after gaining her diploma in Cordon Bleu Cookery, with distinction she moved to Kensington Palace where she began work as chef to TRH The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.

Two years later, in the summer of 1989, Carolyn was offered the position of chef to TRH The Prince and Princes of Wales. The job, although based at Kensington Palace, entailed travelling regularly to Highgrove House, Sandringham House and Balmoral and undertaking official and private overseas tours. As well as all the official entertaining, there was a lot of ‘good home cooking’ for the family; including the two small princes. After four years, Prince Charles and Princess Diana separated; Carolyn continued cooking for the Prince of Wales and became his executive chef – remaining with him until the summer of 2000. During this time, as well as running the kitchens in all of HRH’s residences Carolyn worked closely with the farm manager and gardeners to increase the range and diversity of organic produce from the gardens and farm and she also did product development for Duchy Originals. She worked in the kitchens of chefs including Raymond Blanc, Anton Mossimann, the Roux brothers, Gordon Ramsay, Gualtiero Marchesi (in Italy) and Roger Verge (in Provence) during her time with Prince Charles.

After 13 years in the Royal Household, Carolyn left and moved to Dubai to work as Project Director for a newly established company called Chef’s Larder. Her remit included the opening of several delicatessens, offering an exclusive range of imported products never previously seen in Dubai, from all over the world. She also established and implemented consultancy / training programmes in the top hotels, including the famous ‘seven star’ Burj al Arab and Al Maha Desert Resort. Carolyn had regular radio and television slots and wrote for several local publications. After 15 months with Chef’s Larder, Carolyn took up the full time position of food editor for ‘Time Out’, which published magazines for both Dubai and Abu Dhabi. This job entailed reviewing in excess of 50 restaurants a month – often 2 a day!

On her return to the UK, in 2002, Carolyn established her own company. ‘Calla-Bash’ provided catering and event management to a diverse and high profile client base as well as product development expertise to several small organic food companies and consultancy to hotel groups and restaurants. After a two year stint in California in 2005 and 2006, and exposure to yet another wonderful food culture, Carolyn returned to the UK again.

At present Carolyn is living in Wallingford, a historic 900 year old town, on the river Thames, about 10 miles south of Oxford. She has a baby daughter Lucy and is enjoying every minute of motherhood but also continues to work with her loyal and ever expanding client base. She has clients on both sides of the Atlantic. Carolyn is also working on several exciting book projects.

Honorary Memberships & Judging Panels

British Academy of Culinary Arts - Member
Emirates Culinary Guild - Member
British Organic Food Awards – Judge
British Cheese Awards – Judge
National Schools Skills: Culinary Competition Judge

Sample of Corporate Clients:

UK Based:

The soil Association (UK Organic certification body)
Duchy Originals
Planet Organic Supermarket Aveda
‘Chair’ Organic Restaurant – London
Organic Express Catering - London
Bord Bia – Irish Food Board
Oxfordshire Nature Conservation Forum
Duchy Home Farm – HRH The Prince of Wales
Plant & Harvest Garden Centres
Contemporary Hotel Group – London
Vanilla Magazine – Oxford

Dubai Based:

Al Maha Desert resort (Leading Small Hotels of the World)
Metropolitan Hotel
World Trade Centre

U.S.A. Based

The Westgate Hotel – San Diego, California
The Whitehouse restaurant – Anaheim, California
The Halekulani Hotel – Honolulu, Hawaii
Ojai Valley Inn & Spa – Ojai, California
Wilshire Country Club – Los Angeles, California

Professional Work Experience:

Michelin Restaurants

Albert & Michel Roux Jr : Le Gavroche, London
Raymond Blanc : Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons, Oxford
Roger Verge: Le Moulins de Mougins, France
Gualtiero Marchesi : Marchesi’s Albereta, Italy
Anton Mosimann : Mosimann’s Belfry, London
Orient Express : Hotel Splendido, Portofino
Villa San Michele, Florence

Other Restaurants

Antonio Carluccio : Carluccios, London
Adam Palmer : Champneys at Tring, Hertfordshire, UK
Gianpaolo Belloni : Ristorante Zeffirino, Genova, Italy
Atillio di Fabrizio : Villa San Michele, Fiesole Florence, Italy